Fixing Colima Mount Errors on macOS M1/M2/M3 (The Quick & Clean Way)
If you’ve been working with Docker on macOS using Colima, chances are you’ve run into frustrating mount errors — especially on Apple Silicon machines (M1, M2, M3). You’re not alone. The issue can pop up after OS upgrades, Colima version changes, or even just random reboots.
Here’s a no-fluff fix that’s been working reliably.
🧯 The Problem
You’re starting Colima and seeing something like this:
ERROR: mount type "reverse-sshfs" failed: ...
Or your containers simply don’t see your shared volumes at all.
It’s usually related to how Colima sets up the sshfs mount — and the problem tends to show up more often on M1/M2/M3 machines due to tighter system permissions and architecture differences.
✅ The Fix
Here’s the step-by-step fix I recommend:
1. Stop Colima (if running)
colima stop
2. Reset Colima's configuration
colima delete
This deletes the VM Colima uses but doesn’t touch your Docker images.
3. Install or Reinstall macFUSE
Colima depends on macFUSE for reverse mounts.
- Download from: https://osxfuse.github.io
- Or install via Homebrew:
brew install --cask macfuse
⚠️ After installing, you must reboot your Mac. System Extensions require a reboot to become active.
4. Start Colima with the right mount type
colima start --mount-type=sshfs
If you want to make it permanent:
colima start --mount-type=sshfs --edit
Edit the config to keep mountType: sshfs.
5. (Optional) Use mount flag for custom volumes
colima start --mount ~/projects:/projects:rw --mount-type=sshfs
🧪 Check If It Works
Run a quick container to confirm:
docker run -it --rm -v ~/projects:/projects alpine sh
ls /projects
If you see your local files, you're good to go.
📝 Bonus: Check Version Compatibility
Make sure your Colima, Lima, and Docker versions are compatible:
colima version docker --version
If things still don’t work, check the logs:
colima stop colima start --verbose
🧹 Clean Up (If Needed)
If sshfs keeps failing, you can try switching to 9p (on newer Colima versions):
=colima start --mount-type=9p
It's faster and doesn’t depend on macFUSE, but compatibility can vary.
🚀 Conclusion
Mount errors with Colima on Apple Silicon are super common but easily fixable with the right setup. Reinstall macFUSE, reboot, and use --mount-type=sshfs — that’s usually all it takes.
Let me know if you’ve found a more elegant solution or if something still breaks — happy to update the guide!